Davies in Solheim Cup Race

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Laura Davies has just two weeks left to qualify for August's Solheim Cup in Colorado.

The 49-year-old, who has played in all 12 editions of the tournament since it started in 1990, is determined to qualify for the European team.

Victory will be the only thing on her mind when she tees up in the ISPS HANDA Ladies European Masters at Buckinghamshire Golf Club from Friday.

It is the penultimate qualifying tournament before next week's Ricoh Women's British Open, when both the European and United States teams will be announced jointly on the evening of Sunday, 4 August.

With the European team comprising the top four from the Ladies European Tour standings, followed by the next top four from the Rolex World Rankings and four wild cards, this week's tournament represents an opportunity to earn up to 40 Cup points.

Davies is currently 21st on the points list, 66.5 points behind fourth ranked Caroline Masson of Germany. Suzann Pettersen, Carlota Ciganda and Catriona Matthew are the other three players in the top four.

"There are two more weeks. I'm well down the list. I need to have two more big weeks, whether it gets me in on automatic points, I'd have to win one probably and top three in the other one," said Davies, who is hoping to impress European Captain Liselotte Neumann.

"I'm hoping I can do that, or just to show a bit form to the captain. There might be one pick left that's she's umming and ahhing about. I think the team pretty much sets up. A lot of people agree about who's definitely in. There might be one spot left up for grabs and maybe if someone has a strong finish these two weeks they might get the captain's attention."

Davies, the event's all-time points' scorer, says the fact that she hasn't got enough points makes her even more determined.

"You want to be there on merit. You don't want to be a captain's pick. It means you haven't done enough for two years to warrant that automatic spot, but then again the picks are there for a reason and sometimes you want something different.

"Sometimes it's a new player, sometimes it might be bringing in an experienced player. You want to get the points but its tough. Its a two year qualifying process and unfortunately for me and a lot of other players we haven't done enough yet.

"It's everything, really. I've played in 12 and 1990 was the first one. That's a long time to be playing in an event and all of a sudden you're not good enough to play in it. It's going to be disappointing but that day will come soon, hopefully not in the next two weeks.

"Hopefully I'll do enough because it is quite simply, the most fun you'll have on tour."

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Davies Hoping for Rio 2016 Gold

Laura Davies, one of Britain’s leading sports stars, will be going for golfing gold in the ISPS Handa Ladies British Masters taking place at Buckinghamshire Golf Club on the outskirts of the capital just after London 2012

The eyes of the world are fully focused on London for The 2012 Olympic Games but Britain’s Laura Davies is relishing the opportunity to celebrate when the ISPS Handa Ladies British Masters takes place on the outskirts of the capital in a fortnight’s time.

The tournament will be played the week after the Olympic Games and before the Paralympic Games on Thursday 16th to Saturday 18th August at Buckinghamshire Golf Club in Denham, just a 20 minute drive from the city of London.

Not surprisingly, Davies, from Lyne in Surrey, is thrilled to be playing at home on her own doorstep and at such an exciting time for British sport.

“I’m really looking forward to competing in front of a home gallery with the support of the British public so it will be one of the highlights of the year for me,” Davies said.

Davies admits that she’d love to be competing at the Games, which is a possibility in four years time in Rio de Janeiro, when golf returns to the Olympics for the first time since 1904.

Britain’s most successful golfer, she has won the Ladies European Tour order of merit a record seven times and racked up 79 tournament wins including four major championship victories, but says that playing in the Olympics would be the icing on the cake.

“To me the Olympic Games are the ultimate sporting events and of course I would love to represent my country playing in it. Whether or not I will play, I don’t know, but I will certainly be watching it on television this year and cheering on Team GB.

“I am playing in the Ladies Irish Open this week, but it is a very special time for the country and I hope that the festivities carry over to the ISPS Handa Ladies British Masters, which will give sports fans a taste of what’s to come in Rio in four years time.” 

The ISPS Handa British Masters is being played for the first time at Buckinghamshire Golf Club, which has excellent rail links, with Denham train station located right next to the golf course.